Military multiple-purpose spade.



G. WIBNER.

MILITARY MULTIPLE PURPOSE SPADE.

[APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

1 1,04%, Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

"WXX/ww a m Q MMCo/w W\\ fliarence men 811 CLARENCE WIENER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MILITARY MULTIPLE-PURPOSE SPADE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 21, 1913.

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE WIENER, a citizen of the United States, and residentof Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Military Multiple- Purpose Spades, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to military multiple-purpose spades which on the one hand can befitted upon a rifle or to a bayonet removed from a rifle or used by themselves as pioneer implements, while on the other hand they can be employed as protecting shields for the soldiers during marching as well as during firing; the spade may also be employed as a rest for the rifle. For this purpose the blade of the spade is provided with sockets for the reception of the bayonet blade which is inserted therein and afterward locked in position and it is provided -with devices by means of which the spade can be suspended on the soldiers belt. 1 The spade may be provided with an aperture through which the front part of the rifle can be passed so as to rest on the edge of the aperture. The aperture referred to permits the blade of the spade to be used alone without any handle as a hoe, trowel. or as a saw.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which is illustrated in elevation a spade blade, constructed according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the blade 1, of the spade is provided at one side with a cutting edge 2, and on the opposite side with saw-teeth 3. It is provided on the top edge with a notch 4, which serves as a rest. for the front end of the rifle when the spade is supported, for example, on the ground. To the blade of the spade are fixed metal straps or keepers 18, 6, and 7, which con stitute a socket for the reception of the bayonet blade 9. A lever 17, having a camshaped arm is fixed to the uppermost keeper 18. The cam-shaped arm of this lever passes through a slit in the lateral wall of the keeper 18. After the bayonet 9, is inserted the lever can be turned so as to bring the cam-shaped arm into engagement with the grooves 19, or either of them, provided in the back of the bayonet blade 9. On the side of the lever 17 opposite to the camspade is also provided with a central recess or aperture 24, through which the front part of the rifle can be inserted in upright position, the spade resting for example on the ground. The shape of this aperture depends on the cross-section of the rifle. The bottom edge of this aperture in conjunction with the upper surface of the metal keeper 7, serves as a rest for supporting the rifle. If preferred the. rifle may be supported by the notch 4, and in order to hold the spade in upright position the point of the bayonet may be caused to project beyond the end of the spade, as shown, into position for insertion into some support as. a log or the ground.

The spade blade can be used by itself in the manner of a hoe or trowel and for this purpose the two parts of the blade on both sides may be grasped with both hands so that the fingers of each hand may pass through the aperture 24, when present. The blade canalso be used as a spade or a saw or as a hatchet, rasping it" with one hand only and inserting the fingers through the aperture 24, whenv present. In combination with a bayonet which serves as a handle. the implement can be employed as a field spade for earth work, and by employingthe sharp edge 2, as an ax or hatchet, for chopping, splitting, or dressing wood, for cutting through wooden or wire impediments and the like, or, by using the toothed edge 3, for sawing wood. When the tool is so employed, the bayonet may be attached or fixed to the rifle as desired. In the latter case, it can be used as a shovel for cutrenching works and the upper indented edge 25, of the spade blade may be used as a tread for the foot when forcing the spade into the soil. The spade may be somewhat pointed or blunt on the end as indicated by dotted lines, the latter shape is well suited for cutting sods.

lVhen the soldier is marching, the spade is carried with or without the bayonet attached in a reversed position, in front of the body and is supported by the rings 23. The soldiers belt may be provided with a bullet proof buckle. which fits in the aperture 21, when present. In this position the spade ofi'ers an efiicient protecting shield for the vital parts of the human trunk. When the soldier is firing in a lying position, the spade can be stuck into the soil in front of his head and the rifle can be either passed through the aperture 24, as described above, or the notch 4, can be used as a restfor the rifle. If the bayonet projects beyond the bottom of the spade, the point of the bayonetmay be stuck into the ground or the like to support the shield.

. Thespade may be turned up-siderdown and used as a shield with the rifle or gun properly arranged through its opening.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made in the method of carry-- place that there is no aperture sufficiently large to allow a bullet to pass through.

Further it is to be understood that though the spade is constructed preferably to act as a shield that the invention is not limited to this, as several features of the invention might be usefully employed with spades not constructed to be bullet proof.

What I claim is:

The combinationof a military spade provided with an .open ended socket and with a catch member, and a bayonet adapted to project through the socket beyond the spade and provided with means for engaging the catch member in two positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CLARENCE WIENER.

Witnesses:

.FRANK E. FRENCH, CLEMENT SINGLEY. 

